1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus configured to manage power consumed at a plurality of apparatuses installed in a power management domain, a power management apparatus having the same, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus may be defined as an apparatus that records a letter or a picture, corresponding to a given signal, on a medium such as a paper.
The image forming apparatus may include a printer, a copier, a facsimile, and a multi functional device functioning as at least two of the apparatuses among the printer, the copier, and a facsimile.
The image forming apparatus may have a power saving mode, which shuts off the power supplied to some components, to reduce power consumption when a task such as printing is not conducted during a predetermined standby time.
The image forming apparatus, which already entered a power saving mode, conducts a task when a task request such as a printing request is received, and reenters the power saving mode only after a predetermined standby time elapses after the task is completed. Accordingly, unneeded power is consumed during the standby time.
Even in a case when a temporary printing task such as receiving a facsimile is needed, unneeded power is consumed until a standby time elapses after the printing of a facsimile data is completed.
In a power management domain in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are installed, the power of the plurality of image forming apparatuses may be adjusted into two levels when the power consumption in the power management domain reaches a threshold value, thereby lowering the overall power consumption in the power management domain by reducing the power consumption of an image forming apparatus.
A plurality of image forming apparatuses enters a power saving mode after completing a printing operation when a power saving mode command is input from a power management apparatus. If a print inhibition flag is occurs afterwards, a printing operation is not conducted.
If a print inhibition flag does not occur in a state when a power saving mode command is not input, a printing is refrained by displaying a print cancellation message.
When a print inhibition flag occurs, a user may not be able to print at a desired time. Even when the print inhibition flag does not occur, a user may not be able to conduct printing at the desired time if the power consumption in a power management domain exceeds a threshold value.
To print an important document, an auxiliary power supply apparatus and a charging apparatus may be provided at an image forming apparatus. When a printing is conducted using the auxiliary power supply apparatus, the power of the auxiliary power supply apparatus may be discharged as a printing time progresses, and thereby unable to print in large quantity and continuously.
Since the power of an image forming apparatus is controlled not when the price of power is high but when the power consumption in a power management domain reaches a threshold value, the power of the image forming apparatus is controlled and a printing may not be conducted even when the price of the power is low.
When the price of power is high, a printing is conducted or an image forming apparatus is maintained at a normal mode, and thus the cost of power may increase.